This traffic circle was called Place du Tivoli until it was renamed to honor Confederate General Robert E Lee after the Civil War. In 2017, after many political battles and protests, the statue of Lee finally came down from its column. For now, the statue is yet to be replaced and the circle is yet to be renamed.
Past all that controversy, Lee Circle is a tragic example of an urban junction planned badly. The presence of a nearby elevated freeway mars what should be a pleasant roundabout.